January Cycle

The Hawk Talk 2500 James Madison Drive Vienna, Virginia

James Madison High School January 30, 2019

IN-DEPTH: PAGES 10 & 11

Lauren Arvis

Preface

2

Hawk Talk

Dear Madison, Although this year has only just begun, we have already found ourselves in the midst of the longest government shutdown in our country’s history, piles of homework and 12 inches of snow outside our windows. And as much as we wish to rid ourselves of these three hectic situations, we have finally learned how to create order in such moments of panic.

The new year has brought many changes to our country, to our community and even to our school. While not all of these changes are what we anticipated, we are learning to accept and embrace these differences in our lives and grow from the new experiences that they offer. On page 5, read about the new Warhawk Time policies implemented by the administration.

After ending the year on such a good note and celebrating our favorite holidays with our families, we are reminded how fortunate we are to live in the great Town of Vienna. But with a new year comes new revelations, and for us, that was acknowledging the underlying issues that go unspoken in Fairfax County. Despite ranking as the 10th richest United States county, according to the U.S. News, not everyone has access to the necessities in life that we take for granted. Due to a lack of disposable income, many students and their families in the Madison community are unable to afford nutritious food. In this cycle’s In-Depth (page 10-11), we focus on the 63,000 Fairfax County residents who suffer from food insecurity.

Surrounded by so many talented and passionate faculty members, we are inspired by their ambitious pursuits and desire to give back. Even though their efforts sometimes go unnoticed, our teachers continue to work hard in and out of the classroom. AP U.S. Government teacher Frank Franz utilizes his experience as a retired Marine Corp to help struggling veterans overcome their personal hurdles. On page 13, read about Franz and English teacher Michaela Wolf, who has been writing a novel for the past six years.

And in the effort to fulfill our own goals, we, the two Print Editors-in-Chief, reflect on the college admissions process, specifically the effect of so-

the Patrons Diamond

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The Dawes Family Michael and LaDawn Clark Ted and Holly Desmarais Alison and Brian Geib

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Print Editors-in-Chief Lulu Dawes (’19) and Alexa Clark (’19) laugh at their attempts to pose for a photo without the Online Editors-in-Chief. cial media on acceptance. On page 15, this editorial expresses our agreement with admission officers looking at our public social media in order to decide whether or not to admit or deny students.

It is finally 2019—our graduation year—and although it seems like we’ve been waiting for this year since we first entered Warhawk halls, we’re beginning to feel like these last five months are going too fast—especially with our newly developed senioritis.

For the new year, we hope our readers decide to better themselves and their community, and to always seek inspiration and knowledge. Whether or not you’ve made a New Year’s resolution (page 15), we still wish for all of your dreams to come true.

Sincerely,

The Pohlman Family Jane Miscavage Natasha and Dan Perkins The Bartlett Family Tom and Holly Tylee The Kase Family Nancy Socher Jim and Linh Braley The Glicker Family Kathy and Ken Rusinski

Amy Davison Dena Carter Jessica Daley Nancy Saffer Saori Nystrom Chris and Patrick Enos Wayne Van Nostrand Tommy and Diane Tylee Jon and Beth Strand The Peterson Family Clara Luckett Diane Mahoney The Wharton Family Nancy Adkins Nancy Gastrock

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2500 James Madison Drive Vienna, VA 22181

Alexa Clark & Lulu Dawes Print Editors-in-Chief

the Staff

Editorial Policy: The Hawk Talk

Print Editors-in-Chief

Online Editors-in-Chief

In-Depth

Community

Alexa Clark Lulu Dawes

Devan Fink Hannah Kase

Stephen Desmarais Leah DeFreitas

Alaina Ceynowa

News

Entertainment

Features

Christina Luckett Mark Young

Katie Bartlett Caroline Scheider-Williams

Grace McDonough Lianna Williams

Art Director Jasmine Braley

Adviser Lauren Arvis

Opinion

Sports

Lifestyle

Staff Reporters

Anna Brinkhuis

Madeleine LeTendre

Campbell Ferrick

Business Managers

Digest Editors

Fact Checkers

Eva Ponos Sophie Shayne

Jordan Roller Spencer Todd

Caleb Callen Bridget Levesque

Ethan deBorja Abbey Gastrock Jillian Geib Krutika Joshi Vienna Wolff

is a public forum published by the students of James Madison High School. The publication aims for objectivity in its news reporting.

Any opinions expressed in this paper are solely those of the staff unless otherwise indicated.

Submission Policy: Letters to the Editor and guest columns are encouraged but are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, accuracy and taste. On occasion, we will publish letters anonymously. However, The Hawk Talk also reserves the right not to print letters received. Letters and guest columns as well as any feedback or advertising requests can be emailed to thehawktalk@ gmail.com or hand delivered to an editor or advisor in the Hawk Talk room (167).

Digest

1.30.19

INSIDE this Issue

5

ESOL Connections Students taking Spanish and ESOL students collaborate to improve speaking skills in new ESOL programs.

8

Playbooks and Gradebooks

Teachers explain how coaching Madison sports teams affects their classroom experience.

11

Food Insecurity in Fairfax County Food insecurity impacts many individuals in Fairfax County and is detrimental to students’ learning.

TRENDING ON

Michaela Wolf has been writing a novel and Frank Franz helps struggling veterans.

15 Editorial: The Application Issue The Editors-in-Chief discuss the importance of considering social media in the college admissions process.

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The Hawk Talk Online Visit us at warhawknews.com instagram: jmhshawktalk twitter: madisonhawktalk

2018

FOR

z

of gen z report listening to music when they are most stressed.

75% of gen z report being most stressed about being a victim in a mass shooting.

17 Gender Neutral Clothing Avaliabilty A discussion about the increasing popularity of gender neutral clothing in our modern society.

days was the previous record for the longest Federal government shutdown. It was broken this year.

GENERATION

84% of high school seniors graduated in 2018, which is an all time high.

41%

13 Teachers’ Out of School Interests

3

the most important thing gen z considers when buying is aesthetic.

59%

59% of Americans said that climate change affected their local community in 2018.

58.6 million people are subscribed to Netflix in the United States.

This is ten million more than last year.

CHECK THIS

OUT

of ages 18-21 are enrolled in a four year university or college across the U.S.

19 A Year in Review A review of some of the year’s biggest events, including “Black Panther,”Adam Rippon and “This is America.”

20

Places to hang out in Oakton An exploration into a few fun places to hang out in Oakton, including Starbucks and Bagel Bakery.

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Hawk Talk

Crystal Ball JMHS Winter Dance 2019 Tickets are $10 Feb. 2 Small Gym

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News ESOL Connections fosters learning outside the classroom 1.30.19

By JILLIAN GEIB Staff Reporter

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Students currently taking Spanish collaborate with students enrolled in ESOL to improve speaking skills.

Students enrolled in the ESOL program and stu- have the opportunity to perfect their English. dents taking Spanish have joined together to form the “This program has benefited my Spanish abilities, ESOL Connections Program, which encourages students as it allows me to listen to a native speaker, which ento improve their speaking skills. Despite Northern Vir- hances my accent,” ESOL Connections Program particiginia’s cultural diversity, many students studying Span- pant Ashley Milligan (’20) said. “I am also able to learn ish and other world languages rarely practice speaking new words and phrases, which provides me a better unoutside of the classroom, and the ESOL Connections derstanding of the culture and language.”

Program seeks to remedy this.

Not only is a program like ESOL Connections a “Unfortunatesource of real-world lanly, there are a lot guage application, but of students who take the monthly meetings offer Spanish simply to

[Final Fridays] helped me connect an outlet for students to cross off the requireduring the school with [other students] and realize that socialize ment for an advanced day and get to know other no matter what culture we are from, we peers that they would not diploma,” Spanish teacher Carrie Holall share similar experiences in terms have met otherwise. man said. “However, “This program allows of getting used to our new lives here in me to meet other people we do have several students studying from Madison and connect America.”

Spanish who do value with them through the var- Nikita Romanov (’20) ious activities,” Milligan it and seek many opportunities outside of said. “During the program, the classroom to imwe typically communiprove their Spanish skills.” cate with a different student every time, so we can A collection of Spanish 4, Spanish 5 and AP Span- meet everyone. I have met several people, and ish students are applying their advanced knowledge of I sometimes wave to them in the hallway.” the language to meet and communicate with members Though Spanish is the most comof the ESOL program. mon world language students speak “My Spanish 4 students enjoy the opportunity to fluently, Madison prides itself on the practice speaking Spanish a native speaker,” Holman abundance of world languages sposaid. “I can’t imagine how difficult it is for our ESOL ken as first languages . Similar to the students to go through school every day in a language ESOL Connections Program, schoolthey are still learning. So I think the Spanish 4 students run meetings, called Final Fridays, gain empathy as they struggle to speak Spanish with a accommodate uncommon languages native speaker for those 30 minutes.” spoken in the school. For example, The conversationalist group gathers every Thurs- these meetings feature Russian and day during Warhawk Time. During their meetings, Span- Arabic speakers. ish students partner up with ESOL students and practice “Besides English, I know Russian, their linguistic skills. The pairs receive a set of required and I am currently learning Spanish,” Final questions with the intention of sparking conversations Friday participant Nikita Romanov (’20) said. between students. Both parties benefit; those studying The meetings take place at the end of each Spanish get practice for their class, and ESOL students month and assist numerous people in becoming more

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIA SANCHEZ

“

comfortable in the classroom. Programs like Final Fridays are important, as the number of students and staff with the ability to understand less common languages is limited. Moreover, the personal connections participants make may help with adjusting to their new school community.

“We shared our experiences of coming to America and how excited we were,” Romanov said. “We also talked about our struggles of learning English, and it helped me connect with [other students] and realize that I was not the only one that had difficulty overcoming the language barrier. I learned that no matter what culture we are from, we all share similar experiences in terms of getting used to our new lives here in America.”

TM

AX

25-40 E AG

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ESY OF CLIPAR

Students taking Spanish classes work with members of the ESOL Program in the hallway, practicing speaking skills.

Participants per meeting

IM

Administration establishes new Warhawk Time policies Staff Reporter

In efforts to reduce disciplinary issues during Warhawk Time, Administration implements new procedures.

Madison Administration altered the expectations for Warhawk Time on Nov. 19 in an attempt to encourage students to make more productive use of the period. The policy changes were avoided for as long as possible, but with an increasing number of disciplinary issues arising during Warhawk Time, administration felt necessary.

“We tried to address this without making changes, but due to the large number of students moving throughout the building, we were not able to identify exactly who was not following Warhawk Time expectations,” Principal Greg Hood said.

After the 10 a.m. bell, students are no longer allowed to travel to any other room or to be in the halls unless they have a hall pass. There is now a 15-minute transition period when students are expected to get

☑In classroom by 10 a.m. ☑No movement without a hall pass after bell ☑Teacher invitation

IMAGE COURTESY OF FREE ICONS LIBRARY

By ABBEY GASTROCK

to a Warhawk Time class—whether signing out or staying in their own homeroom. Some students are skeptical of the change and how it will affect their ability to meet with teachers during the school day.

“There is a lot of movement in the halls which is a problem, but most of it is students getting help or information from each class, especially after missing a day of school,” Ella Busch (’19) said.

This change in policy is meant to suffice as a short term solution to identify which students are in the hall past 10 a.m. and to help them make better decisions in the future. So far, the new policy has allowed administration to meet with those misusing Warhawk Time and help them change their habits as a way to remediate any issues with the study period.

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News 7 Third annual Women’s March proceeds, despite controversy 1.30.19

By KRUTIKA JOSHI Staff Reporter

Despite receiving backlash over the founders’ association with anti-sematism, the Washington D.C. march reached over 100,000 in attendance, with thousands others marching in other cities.

Thousands of women and men alike gathered on Jan. 19 for the Women’s March on Washington 2019 to march in solidarity for their freedoms and rights, protesting with posters and chants. Marchers gathered at Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue and rallied in the streets of Washington D.C. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..

An estimated 100,000 people marched in Washington D.C.. This is only a small portion of the number of protesters throughout the country, as thousands marched in over 100 cities, including New York City, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle. Additionally, protesters marched globally in London, Sydney, Toronto, Berlin, Zürich, Florence, Zambia and other locations.

This year’s march on Washington featured multiple speakers, such as Gloria Steinem and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Allowing creativity to shine through, protesters flaunted unique posters and signs demanding justice for women.

“I

100,000

people showed up to the Washington D.C. rally

marched for women that aren’t represented in everyday who has repeatedly made anti-semitic and anti-LGBTQ life and to bring attention to them,” Hannah Rupy (’19) comments. This resulted in many people opting out of said. “Seeing everyone coming together for a common attending the march. Feminists such as Alyssa Milano cause, it felt great to be with everyone.” and Debra Messing refused to support the march until Third in the series, the 2019 march in D.C. was the board members condemned Farrakhan’s words. The smaller than the 2017 and 2018 marches. The 2017 Democratic National Convention (DNC) also retracted Women’s March On Washington bonded over 500,000 its support for the march. Some organizers canceled women, and its sister marches gathered over 4 million marches in cities such as Chicago and New Orleans, people in U.S. alone. The 2018 Women’s marches in the while a separate Women’s March, unassociated with the U.S. included between 1.6 and 2.5 million marchers.

Women’s March Organization, erupted nationwide due “Being part of a movement felt empowto the controversy. ering, like I was a part of history,” Sydney Schum“Even though I attended the last few women’s er (’21) said. “Even in the face of so much h a t e , marches, I didn’t go to this one to hopefully send a there are still some people who believe and hope.” message that feminism denounces all types of discrimDespite the large particination, including and especially anPHOTO COURTESY OF KATE PADGETT ipation, the Women’s March ti-semitism,” Annika Santhanam (’20) organizers recently faced said. backlash due to the Women’s While there wasn’t any reportMarch co-president Tamika ed violence at the march, numbers Mallory showing support for of counter protesters were present the controversial Nation of Isat the march. Some women gathered lam founder, Louis Farrakhan, for a “March For ALL Women”, feeling that the movement was not inclusive to all women. Some gathered to counter protest as they felt that Trump supporters were unwelcome at the march.

“This is not just about

identity, this is about justice, this is about - Congresswoman America.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Sister Marches:

From left to right, Kate Padgett (‘19), Bethany Tran (‘19) and Abby Bolinger (‘19) pictured at the 2019 Women March.

New York City Boston Denver Los Angeles Seattle

Scholastic Bowl team buzzes into Regional tournament

By LIANNA WILLIAMS Features Editor

The team competed in the District tournament during the week following winter break, ranking second.

Madison’s Scholastic Bowl team was the runner-up to Oakton High School in the VHSL Concorde District Tournament that took place at Madison on Jan. 9.

Scholastic Bowl, also known as Quiz Bowl, is a game that tests students’ knowledge on various subjects including history,

literature, science, current events, pop culture, sports and more.

Madison’s team currently includes Johnnie Farrington (’19), Calvin Feidler (’19), Sam Cohen (’19), Sean Meehan (’19), Satchi Moskowitz (’20), Anjali Sardana (’20), and John Lande (’21).

“Scholastic Bowl is a VHSL academic competition activity, in the same category as Debate, Forensics, Yearbook, Theatre, and many others,” Madi-

son Scholastic Bowl coach Marc Lebendig said. “Some people may be familiar with the television show “It’s Academic,” which uses a similar format (although easier content).”

Historically, the Madison team has performed well in VHSL tournaments.

“We both [Madison and Oakton] have advanced to the regional tournament, which will be Saturday Jan. 19, again here at Madison,” Lebendig said.

“The top two teams there will advance to the Super-Regional Tournament, and potentially State.”

This year, the State tournament will be held on Feb. 23 at College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. In order to prepare for the competitions, the team will scrimmage against other schools in the area and hold weekly practices on non-scrimmage weeks.

“Although the season is ending, we will continue to run weekly sessions throughout the year,” Lebendig said.

“It’s a fun environment for learning lots of interesting info about topics we don’t always get to study much in school. And we have buzzers! Buzzers are cool.”

Sports

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Hawk Talk

Playbooks and Gradebooks Madison teachers elaborate upon their lives working as coaches for Warhawk sports teams while leading classroom communities.

Jamie Allen

WRESTLING

By CALEB CALLEN Staff Reporter

Having simultaneously worked as an English 9 Honors and AP Language and Composition teacher and as a wrestling coach for the school team over the last eight years, James Allen knows very well the challenges that go hand in hand with juggling each profession.

“You want to be able to live your life outside of your job and your coaching responsibilities, too, so there’s definitely not enough time to go around in the day,” Allen said. “It does mean a lot of sacrifice; I thank my wife for her patience.”

According to Allen, however, the occasional strain is well worth it for the insight it provides.

“I’ve had many wrestlers that I’ve also had as students, and it can be really supportive in both aspects,” Allen said. “In the wrestling room they feel that they know you

from the classroom, and certainly in the classroom, they feel like they know you on a different level […] I think that every student here at Madison is in some ways a very different person in their different communities—their different environments—and I just see very different sides of Madison’s students in the wrestling room than I do in the classroom.”

Allen states that he enjoys seeing students grow and develop as students, but also people, over the years in which he has coached them.

It is an overlap between teaching and coaching, he said.

With that said, Allen “does it for the kids,” in regards to his responsibilities, in and out of school.

ART COURTESY OF PNGIMG

Andrew Foos

SWIM and DIVE

By GRACE MCDONOUGH

BASKETBALL

By MARK YOUNG

Features Editor

Many teachers at Madison bring their own personal interests to our school’s community, in Coach Foos’ case, he brings the pool. Andrew Foos is an economics teacher and the head coach of the 2017 and 2018 state champion Swim and Dive Team. Foos has been coaching since the 2008-2009 season and has been involved as an athlete himself and then a coach for the team all throughout his life.

“This is my 11th year coaching Madison swim,” Foos said, “I like the competition, working with the kids, seeing them outside of class and of course, I like the fact that we’re good.”

Having a very successful team has of course been rewarding, but this also means more commitment, time and focus for Foos, all while also prioritizing his teaching and s t u dents’ s u c cess.

“I pretty much

Kirsten Stone News Editor

only have 15-20 minutes before school, an hour and a half of planning during school and another 2o after school to make everything happen, including the administrative things I do for the team which can, all together, be hard,” Foos said.

However, there is more to it than just school and swim for any coach, teacher or athlete and factoring other commitments into their daily lives poses other constraints.

“The other balancing act is family, which is almost impossible because I barely see them during the season, which again is hard,” Foos said.

Furthermore, with the 2018-2019 season more than halfway through, Foos is ready for another long run with all his swimmers. Although it can be hard to juggle the two important jobs erstwhile balancing quality family time, Madison swim and dive has continued to be very successful, making it all the more rewarding.

“The best part to me is seeing the kids in both environments,” Foos said. “Sometimes there’s kids who don’t talk much in class, but then it becomes a different story when we see them on the pool deck.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VIENNA PATCH

Many teachers at Madison are coaches, too. One of these teachers is Kirsten Stone. She teaches World History I, coaches the varsity girls basketball team and also serves as Assistant Director of Student Activities. Stone often finds herself teaching and coaching the same students.

“Over the past years I have had several athletes as students,” Stone said. “Usually they are scared of me at first and do really well in class but then they get to know me and we can talk about anything. It is fun to build relationships with players.

You get to know more about the athletes because they are doing something they are passionate about.”

However, the burden of having several roles can sometimes become taxing for Stone.

“It is a lot to be a teacher, Assistant DSA, coach and mom,” Stone said. “I am constantly running from one job to the next and wondering which part I am not doing well, but I enjoy it. I feel like each job teaches me new life lessons.”

Stone believes that teaching

and coaching helps her learn a lot about each respective role.

“I feel like both positions teach me things I use in the other position,” Stone said. “I always make my players repeat things I say or explain the play using their own words which is a technique I learned from teaching. I think moving in the classroom and acting out history helps with remembering it just like running a play in basketball over and over helps the players remember.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADISON GIRLS BASKETBALL

Sports

1.30.19

A Career in Review

By DEVAN FINK Online Editor-in-Chief

scored five touchdowns in a game at age eight and dropped 30 points in an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) game in middle school. (AAU is considered one of the top youth basketball leagues in the country.) Because of his experience playing at a high level throughout his youth, Finney realized he could play Varsity sports during his freshman year.

“I wouldn’t say that it was a surprise [to make Varsity],” Finney said. “I wasn’t coming in like as a cocky freshman thinking that I was definitely going to make Varsity. Obviously, I had to work for it, but I made the team, and I was definitely happy, and my parents were proud of me, too.”

12-time varsity athlete John Finney (’19) reflects on his high school athletic career.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN FINNEY

“J

oo-ohn Finn-ney!” Clap, clap. Clap, clap, clap. “Joo-ohn Finn-ney!” Clap, clap. Clap, clap, clap. It does not matter whether this is a football game and Finney has just scored a touchdown, or if it is a basketball game and he has just made a three. That’s the legend of John Finney (’19), who has been engrained solidly into the folklore of Madison students from the moment he stepped into this building as a freshman.

The days of Finney being a superstar freshman are long since gone, and his outstanding athletic performance has become the expectation, not the exception. Finney has been on the field and on the court for some of the most important Madison Football and Madison Basketball games in school history. Of course, these accomplishments are team efforts, but since Finney has arrived, Madison Football has won 35 games, the most in any four-year stretch since at least 1999.

Likewise, Madison Basketball won their first regional title in 2017.

“It seems like since the Class of 2019 came to Madison, sports just took off,” Finney said. “I think this class brought a new drive. We stepped out on the field or the court, and we just did things differently.”

The Beginning Since he was young, Finney has been a standout athlete. Finney has been playing football since he was seven and basketball since he was about nine. He once

The High School Experience

Finney made Varsity Football, Varsity Basketball and Varsity Track and Field as a freshman. He has accomplished a lot over his four years, but, as he begins to reflect on his time at Madison, there was one game that stood out for him in his memory: the Varsity Basketball regional championship in 2017. Madison defeated Woodson, 62-58, for the first region title in school history.

“That was crazy,” Finney said. “Nobody thought we were going to get there, so just for us to win that and come together as a family, it was crazy. The whole community was basically there, so that was definitely a huge moment that will be in my memory.”

Throughout high school, Finney has dealt with the pressure of being a great Madison athlete. He’s been expected to be the guy on the field or on the court. With that came a great deal of attention that he had to block out.

“Sometimes, I would get butterflies in my stomach before a game,” Finney said. “I would definitely think that I gotta do this or that in the game. Sometimes you just have to realize that nobody is going to have a perfect game. There will be dropped passes, missed throws. Nobody is ever going to have a perfect game. I would just focus, get my mind ready and go do what I can.”

The Future Finney realizes that his time at Madison is drawing to a close. After four years and twelve Varsity letters, his time in Warhawk red and black will officially complete next June.

Before then, however, Finney must decide where he will spend his next four years. He plans to sign his National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play college football in February and has recently been in contact with Christopher Newport University, James Madison University and Duquesne University, among others.

Rumors have long surrounded Finney’s college decision, with some even saying that he would end up at Michigan State University. And, while Finney did in fact receive a letter from Michigan State during his sophomore year, he has not heard anything since.

“It’s been a long and tough process,” Finney said.

“Schools calling you early on in your high school career that might not talk to you now, like Michigan State. I got that letter when I was a sophomore and haven’t heard from them since.”

9 This process has not been easy.

“I think I’ve been overlooked,” Finney said. “I’m just being patient in the process, but that’s definitely been the biggest struggle. Just maybe not as many offers as other guys.”

He does offer some advice for other future recruits, however.

“Looking back, I could have been more vocal,” Finney said. “I could have used myself instead of waiting on someone to come, or waiting on this letter to come in the mail. I think I definitely could have put myself out there. As in, I could have reached out to coaches, sent emails, sent film, do whatever I can to get these coaches’ attention instead of waiting on them to come to me.”

Finney hopes to study Cybersecurity or Computer Information Systems while in college, even if he is not afforded the opportunity to play football.

“I want to be successful and graduate and have that degree for my mom,” Finney said. “I’ve been open with my process, and wherever I end up, I know that it will be home for me for the next four years.”

The Reflection Finney, while certainly a big part of the success that Madison sports have had in recent years, does not take sole credit for it, calling himself a “very humble guy.” However, he does recognize all the s u c cess that the entire class

brought to the athletic programs at this school.

“There must have been something about those 2000 and 2001 babies,” Finney said.

“We just brought our best to this school. It was just a great four years for us.”

“Sometimes you just have to realize that nobody is going to have a perfect game. Nobody’s perfect.” Finney said.

Food disparity impacts thousands of families in Northern Virginia and across the country, leaving many children from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds at a disadvantage in school.

By LEAH DEFREITAS and CHRISTINA LUCKETT In-Depth Editor and News Editor

Each day, over 180,000 students make their morning trek to a Fairfax County public school for their seven-hour school day. For many families, their daily routine is marked by after-school practices, homework sessions, and carpool, but getting a decent meal is rarely a concern. For the almost 24,000 teenagers in Fairfax County who are food insecure, however, every day is a countdown to mealtime.

What is food insecurity?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the term food insecurity is defined as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” A family or individual coping with food insecurity may have to reduce the quality of their meals, feed their children an unbalanced diet or skip meals completely so that their children may eat, according to the local nonprofit Food For Others Fairfax County. The organization works to minimize this disparity by helping families who are “unable to make ends meet and need to supplement their inadequate food supplies.”

Food insecurity affects an estimated 40 million Americans across all United States communities, including those in Vienna and near Madison.

There is no single, isolated cause; despite the relationship between food insecurity and income level, Feeding America notes that even individuals living above the poverty line can experience food insecurity. Housing costs, disabilities, social isolation and education level are all factors that can contribute to one’s access to adequate nutrition.

“It cuts across every economic status,” Assistant Principal Liz Calvert said. “Even if a family has not found access to food difficult, economic conditions that can change overnight, like the government shutdown, do impact families and their abilities to make ends meet.”

Long-Term Effects An unbalanced diet can result in increased hospitalizations, iron deficiency and behavioral problems such as aggression, anxiety,

depression and attention deficit disorder, according to the American Psychological Association. Additionally, while many experiencing food insecurity may appear underweight, food insecurity occurs disproportionately among families who present a high risk for obesity.

“

A lot of times, we can determine if a patient is food insecure by what we call their body habitus,” Vienna Family Medicine practitioner Dr. Sandra Tandeciarz said. “Physical elements that you see in the exam can give you an idea; patients who are either obese or too thin may be affected [by food insecurity].”

- Dr. Sandra Tandeciarz “A lot of times, we can determine if a patient is food insecure by what we call their body habitus,” Vienna Family Medicine practitioner Dr. Sandra Tandeciarz said. “Physical elements that you see in the exam can give you an idea; patients who are either obese or too thin may be affected [by food insecurity].”

The physical consequences of food insecurity can greatly affect education for children, who lack the nutrients necessary to sustain them throughout the school day. A proper diet plays an important role in cognition, and children from homes that do not have consistent access to food are more likely to receive lower test scores and repeat a grade level, according to Feeding America.

Living with Food Insecurity In the 2017-2018 school year, 247 Madison students were on the free/reduced lunch program, but only 44.7% of Madison students are familiar with the term food insecurity. “[Madison] has a really diverse population, including economically,” Calvert said. “There are groups of kids [at Madison] who are

on free or reduced lunch who don school.”

Calvert has seen how food in Madison students.

“Lack of access to food outs Calvert said. “It affects the ability affects a child’s overall success in Kathy Coles, a current sixth Elementary School in Vienna has a food insecurity within her own cla one-third of the students at Cunn level of food insecurity.

“Food insecurity ends up sho within the classroom,” Coles said. have not eaten enough. They are j Sometimes they go down to the cl lost. Because they’re hungry, they their education.”

“

Kids are tired, o have not eaten enou not quite feeling the they go down to the class time is lost. Be gry, they’re not liste pacts their education

- Cunningham Park Eleme

Many of the families experie majority of their groceries from th and severely lack fresh fruits and Some of her students and their fa

n’t have access to food outside of

nsecurity negatively influences

side of school affects attendance,” y to pay attention. In many cases, it n school.” grade teacher at Cunningham Park also observed the consequences of assroom, and estimates that about ningham Park are affected by some

owing up in all sorts of ways . “Kids are tired, often because they just not quite feeling themselves. linic, which means class time is y’re not listening; all of this impacts

often because they ugh. They are just emselves. Sometimes clinic, which means ecause they’re hunening; all of this imn.”

entary Teacher Kathy Coles

encing food insecurity source the he dollar store, 7-Eleven or CVS vegetables, Coles also explained. amilies do not even have consistent

access to transportation to get to the store. Because of these factors, Coles is making a conscious effort to alleviate some of the effects of food insecurity on her students.

In addition to providing snacks during the school day for those lacking adequate nutrition, Coles initiated a community garden at Cunningham Park about three years ago. What started as an experiment blossomed into a popular school and community interest after Coles showed students vegetables from the garden.

“The kids were fascinated by the fact that I was bringing them fresh vegetables,” Coles said. “We have a gardening committee, and kids and families are always welcome to come. They’re in there digging in that dirt and watching things grow. They’re excited about it and then they try it.”

The essential components of an elementary-school-aged child’s diet are protein, fruits, vegetables, grains and essential minerals.

Protein is critical for the building and repairing of tissues and bones. Grains and other carbohydrates provide energy.

“Dairy also provides protein, and fruits and vegetables add vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Tandeciarz said.

Families in a position of food insecurity may struggle to include essential dietary elements in their meals. In the Northern Virginia area, fruits and vegetables are most commonly omitted from the diets of children lacking access to adequate nutrition because of the higher costs of fresh produce, Tandeciarz explained. On average, healthier and perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, cost nearly twice as much per serving when compared to unhealthy packaged foods, according to a study by Drexel University.

“There are a lot of minerals and vitamins that you get specifically through fruits and vegetables that you won’t necessarily get through other foods unless they’re supplemented,” Tandeciarz said. “Kids basically end up having too much of one thing and not a balance. And when they have too much of one thing, it tends to be foods that have a lot of fat, a lot of salt and not as many vitamins and minerals. So you’re really overcompensating on one side and not providing a balance of what you need.”

Feeding Communities The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the current government-run nutrition assistance program, helping low-income families and individuals meet their food-related needs.

SNAP states that for each individual on the program, the average monthly benefit is $125.07. Yet the New Food Economy Organization estimates that it costs $143 per week to feed the average teenager. This leaves a tremendous hunger gap that needs to be addressed. Although this issue may be global, change can begin on a local level.

In addition to redistributing usable food from Vienna grocery stores and food establishments to those in need, Food For Others organizes food drives to collect non-perishable foods for donation.

Efforts to address food insecurity in the community can also be seen right here at Madison. Assistant Principal Calvert founded a food pantry program at Madison after seeing how a lack of regular access to food reduces student performance and success at school.

“

We went over to Oakton High School to find out how they did outreach, identified kids, received donations for their food pantry. They had put together a handbook that we adapted to provide nutritional support for our kids.”

- Assistant Principal Liz Calvert “There were several other high schools in the country which had started food pantries previously,” Calvert said. “We [Calvert, PTSA President and parent volunteer] went over to Oakton High School to find out how they did outreach, identified kids, received donations for their food pantry. They had put together a handbook that we adapted to provide nutritional support for our kids.”

Features

12

Hawk Talk

MAD Drama presents winter one-acts Mad Drama’s one-act plays are produced by students every winter as a way to provide budding directors with the opportunity to showcase their talents.

BEN EGGLESTON

By JORDAN ROLLER Staff Reporter PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANNON SIEFF

After moving into his new apartment, David finds disturbing notes and hears eerie voices belonging to a vengeful spirit. Distressed, David embarks on a journey to find the apartment’s former tenant.

Along the way, he helps people with the same personality flaws as him, and his journey becomes one of self-acceptance and reflection.

Ben Eggleston (’21) wrote his play, “The Crooked Man,” based on the video game by the same title, and he is now directing it as part of MAD Drama’s One Acts. Unlike other shows, the One Acts are produced entirely by students and showcase creativity in fields such as writing and direction as well as acting.

“I just thought that [the video game] had a lot of really good messages in it,” Eggleston said. “It has a lot of self reflection in it. A lot of it is about enjoying your life for what it is.”

Transferring a video game into a play presented both creative op- Ben Eggleston (’21) performs alongside portunities and challenges. Since Catherine Morrissey (’19) in Macbeth; the original game is in Japanese, Eggleston could put his own twist MadDrama’s fall play in 2017.

on the wording. However, he also had to condense multiple hours of plot into a 45 minute timespan.

“I had to go through the play ten or 11 times and cut out things,” Eggleston said.

Eggleston is an experienced fight choreographer, having been the assistant fight director for Vienna Youth Players’ production of “Beauty and the Beast”. He is looking forward to working on the One Act’s several fight scenes. In the meantime, Eggleston has enjoyed collaborating with his cast on line delivery.

“The way [everyone] delivered [lines] during callbacks was not at all what I expected but it sounded so good,” Eggleston said. “I’ve enjoyed seeing how my actors are interpreting the characters I’ve given them.”

As the only dramatic One Act, Eggleston hopes the message of his play resonates.

“I want the audience to walk away with the wisdom to truly know that no matter how bad things may get at times, life can be enjoyed for what it is,” Eggleston said.

RANSOM CAIN

Additional One-Acts Feb. 21 to 23: “All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Being in a Play” directed by Lauren Bretl (’20) and Vienna Wolff (’19) “An Actor’s Nightmare” directed by Hannah Chaikin (’19) and Caroline Salwen (’19) “Appropriate Audience Behavior” directed by Spencer Todd (’20) “Birdie” directed by Annika Santhanam (’20) and Colleen Ryan (’20)

By VIENNA WOLFF Staff Reporter VIENNA WOLFF

Ransom Cain (’19) is a director, along with co-director Renee Erikson (’20), for Mad Drama’s One Acts performed February 21-23.

Cain has been a member of the drama department throughout his high school career, and this will be his third time directing a show.

One Acts are student-directed plays, designed to incorporate the whole department and welcome new people with a low time obligation. One Acts give students the opportunity to perform in a smaller setting between the two main fall and spring productions . In recent years, these shows have been used as fundraisers for the department. ‘“My show is called Hard Candy. It is about various people Ransom Cain (’19) is sitting on book for his interviewing for a job while using one-act “Hard Candy” during a rehearsal the strangest of techniques. ,” Cain after school. said. “From bribery, to intimidation, flattery to death threats they will do Acts at Madison since sophomore year, sticking with more comedic whatever it takes to get the job.”

Cain has been directing One shows. In previous years, his shows have varied in length, ranging from

20 to 45 minutes.

“I was very impressed by my director freshman year and I decided that I wanted to direct a show the next year,” Cain said. “However, I wasn’t given the opportunity to direct until my sophomore year.”

His cast is relatively small, with only 11 students. Directors often double-cast —having actors in two or more shows—which is a push factor for having smaller casts.

This can put pressure on students who have multiple shows in a night.

However, it also gives actors a break during the three-day show weekend, since each set of four shows are only performed twice throughout the weekend.

“I am very excited to see my show come together.” Cain said.

“This year I have chosen a comedy and I know it will end up being very funny during the performance. I am confident that my cast will put on a great show.”

“It’s Not Me It’s You” directed by Isabelle Centola (’20) and Sasha Tepp (’22) “Survey Says” directed by Alaina Ceynowa (’19) and Casey Deege (’20) “This is a Test” directed by Rebecca Lewis (’19) “Welcome to the NBA” directed by Jordan Roller (’20)

1.30.19

Features

13

TEACHERS TAKE INTERESTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Wolf has taken her interests of writing outside of her classroom. She has been writing her own novel for seven years now and continues to add to her creative interests.

Michaela Wolf

In

By ALEXA CLARK Print Editor-In-Chief the middle of an English 10 Honors class, inspiration strikes English teacher Michaela Wolf.

She continues to teach her students, but in the back of her mind, a seed of an idea has sprouted. As soon as the bell rings, signaling her lunch break, Wolf rushes to jot down a note on her phone about the main character of the young adult fantasy novel she started writing in 2012.

“You have to feel strongly about the story that’s being told,” Wolf said. “Make sure you choose a project that you’re passionate about, because if you don’t like something, it’s going to burn out real quick.”

She has filled six notebooks and hundreds of typed pages on Microsoft Word with character development and world building. Wolf also has the plot of her novel mapped out, along with a few scenes written.

ALEXA CLARK “There was one day when I was a first year in college, and I was feeling very discouraged with myself and the fact Michaela Wolf works on her novel at her desk. She has that I wasn’t yet who I wanted to be as a woman,” Wolf said. been writing it since 2012, using weekends and breaks “So I was thinking through: what are the influences that we as a culture submit to our young women? What does it take to make progress on her story. to be a really awesome role model to young women? Those questions inspired one of my central characters.”

Wolf’s novel focuses on a 16-year-old girl who is

By MADELEINE LETENDRE half-human, half-elf and destined to save the world. HowSports Editor ever, she cannot wield her powers until she overcomes her prejudices against the many races, mainly humans, of her world. In Wolf’s own words, her novel is similar to “‘The Lord of the Rings’ if it were an all-female cast.”

“I’m very passionate about having conversations with people from different cultures and backgrounds,” Wolf said.

“What can we do in this world where so many people have a lot of hate? How can we come together?”

Ever since she was in high school, Wolf knew she wanted to be the author of a published work. She hopes to have her novel finished and to be seeking publication by the time she is 30 years old.

“I want this story to be written, because I want it to be on the shelves so that some girl can one day pick it up and hopefully connect with the characters and appreciate them,” Wolf said.

Wolf does not currently follow a consistent writing schedule. Instead, she tries to build in time to work on her project between her responsibilities at school and in the community. When she does find the time to write on weekends and over breaks, Wolf writes the section of her novel which she feels most inspired to tackle.

“If there’s a scene that I really want to write, then it MADELEINE LETENDRE doesn’t make sense for me to go in chronological order and Frank Franz checks in over phone with the veterans work somewhere else in my novel when I don’t currently have a passion for that section,” Wolf said. “If I’m feeling he mentors through his Fairfax Veterans Treatment something, even if it’s three-quarters of the way through, Docket. then that’s what I have to write.”

Frank Franz

Franz’s interests come from his prior military background. He helps As veterans with a variety of a Marine Corps veterproblems and also keeps an himself, U.S in touch with their Government teacher Frank Franz said “somedaily lives as a times people just need someone to care and listen,” mentor.

in regards not only to his job as a teacher, but his work as a mentor at the Fairfax Veterans Treatment Docket.

“As a mentor, my job is to ensure that my veteran knows that they are not alone in this program and that I’m someone they can call or text at any time for any reason,” Franz said. “I touch base with my veteran to see how he or she is doing in between court dates, which are twice a month.”

Also known as Veterans Court, the Fairfax Veterans Treatment Docket is a “court-supervised, comprehensive treatment program,” the docket’s website says. Participants are diagnosed with substance abuse and/or mental health struggles; these are the qualification “My veteran and I trade text messages and, when we can, have lunch,” Franz said. “We talk about any challenges he or she is facing, but sometimes we just talk about topics completely unrelated to the treatment docket.”

“We have court twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. Each court session lasts about an hour or so. Texting doesn’t take that much time, so if we meet for lunch, we’re talking about 3 or four hours a month.” Franz said.

In order to be eligible for the program, a veteran “must have been discharged other than dishonorably from any branch of the United States Military, the Reserves, or the National Guard,” and possess a “misdemeanor or felony level offense,” the website says.

Eligibility for treatment also depends on if the veteran has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health, substance use and/or related disorders.

On the days of the bimonthly court dates, Franz dismisses himself from his classes a few minutes earlier to attend the hearings in which mentees can be dismissed of their charges if the judge notes both physical and mental health improvement. Sometimes, though, this process can be difficult.

“The most challenging part of being a mentor is knowing that the ultimate control of whether my veteran succeeds is in the hands of my veteran.” Franz said.

Yet despite the challenges of Franz’s responsibilities, making an impact on someone’s life are what keep him doing it.

“The [most] rewarding part of being a veteran mentor is watching the veterans get healthy,” Franz said. “I’ve only been a mentor for the past seven months, but during that time I’ve sat in court and have seen veterans enter the program not looking very well. But after even just a month or two, you can see some of the veterans looking healthier and how they carry themselves has improved.”

Opinion

14

Hawk Talk

Working mothers deserve paid leave

By ANNA BRINKHUIS Opinion Editor

The United States is the only member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not provide working mothers with at least partial paid leave after giving birth.

A

ustralia, Portugal, Korea, Ireland, Canada.

These countries (and 35 more) all have two things in common: they are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and as of 2016, they all guaranteed at least six weeks of paid maternity leave to mothers. In fact, there is only one country missing from this list: the United States, the only OECD country that does not provide paid maternity leave.

Paid maternity leave is defined by the OECD as “employment-protected leave of absence for employed women at around the time of childbirth,” and according to the International Labor Convention, it should be at least 14 weeks. Yet somehow, the United States, a country that prides itself in caring for its citizens and protecting human rights, has neglected to include one of the most important groups of people

By CAROLINE SCHEIDER-WILLIAMS Entertainment Editor

BitLife alters the tradiontal virtual simulation experience.

Bit Life is the next up-andcoming life simulator and strategy app sweeping the country.

The game starts with the birth of your avatar into a random life, and requires you to make various choices for that avatar over the course of their life. Since you receive a different avatar for every new game, each time provides a unique experience.

But the true beauty of the game is how effective it is in making you aware that life is not fair. You experience the pros and cons of many different types of circumstances and experience what others in life may actually go through. Your origins have lifelong impacts; you can be born rich, poor, smart, sick, etc. That in turn can impact if you go to college, the jobs you get, if you can have a family, or your overall happiness.

Because the game has an inflated media presence, its has stronger impact on teens.

Who may be more susceptible to any message it delivers. And by no means does Bit Life give

in the country: mothers.

In the U.S., women do not receive a single week of paid maternity leave, let alone 39 weeks, like in the UK. This glaring difference should be ample evidence that the United States’ stance on maternity needs to change. Although some companies, such as Amazon and Dell, choose to provide their employees with paid leave after giving birth, the government does not require it. And neither does it provide it for its own employees: FCPS teachers, for example, receive no paid maternity leave. Instead, they are forced to use sick leave if they want to stay home after giving birth and still be able to afford to feed their new family.

While motherhood is a personal decision, it is something that affects our country a great deal.

an accurate representation of life, at all. Some of the random events that may occur to your character could be things that are either extremely rare, unrealistic, or strange. One game I chose to spend more time with my newborn son, and the computer generated activity was skydiving. However, that would never happen in real life, at least hopefully not.

Some of these random events can be controversial or extremely problematic, such as the option to senselessly assault someone, murder someone, cheat on your significant other or commit suicide. By potentially normalizing some of these senseless acts, we could be desensitizing the young adults playing. However, the game has a 17+ age rating, which will help filter out the youngest of audiences. And for teens, it’s not uncommon to already be exposed to similar themes in movies, books, T.V. shows, and video games.

Every person in this country today exists because a woman gave birth to them. Yes, even government bureaucrats have mothers. And while it’s true that many companies, especially small businesses, cannot afford to pay employees full or even partial pay while they’re on maternity leave, this is no excuse for unpaid maternity leave. Instead, it just means the government needs to step in and institute a policy of national paid maternity leave, government-funded if businesses cannot afford it. Afterall, there are worse things our tax dollars could go to than supporting future Americans and their mothers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERIZON WIRELESS

PHOTO COURTESY OF KISSCLIPART

You should get a BitLife, you BitLoser

1.30.19

Opinion 15 New Year’s resolutions undermine meaningful attempts at self-improvement

By SPENCER TODD Staff Reporter

*Accordi

ng to U.S. News

of New Year’s resolutions fail by February*

New year, new me. A new year should not be one’s only inspiration to create a better version of oneself.

If an individual only aspires to be a better person or to achieve some goal only because it is a new year, their inspiration will eventually run out, and there will be no reason for them to continue their goal.

A New Year’s resolution does not hurt, if the goal is realistic.

If an individual wants to make a New Year’s resolution, nobody is stopping them. In fact, it could be a good idea, as long as the HUIS RINK NA B Y AN ART B

80%

THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL

New Year’s resolutions are an age-old tradition. In reality, they hold no more power than everyday commitments to personal improvement. individual is actually motivated and not only doing it because they feel pressured to have a resolution. If one truly wishes to better oneself, it should be done whenever they have the inspiration, not just because they have the mentality that because it is a new year, everything will suddenly go their way. Even having that mentality at all is not a good idea as it can spiral into expectations that are almost impossible to reach.

Nothing will ever 100 percent go one’s way. That is not the way life works. Many resolutions seem to create the illusion that the individual’s goal will easily be achieved (or there is a general underestimation)

THE APPLICATION LICAT ISSUE

The Editors-in-Chief discuss the importance of considering students’ social media in the college admissions process.

Over the years, the college admissions process has changed in a variety of ways. More institutions have shifted to the holistic review philosophy, in which factors beyond just standardized test scores and grades are considered. Many colleges require students to submit essays and an extracurricular activities list in an attempt to obtain a clearer image of who each student is beyond their statistics.

However, by clicking one tab over from a student’s application, any admissions officer has access to the world of social media, where they may learn more about a student’s character than they will from any edited essay.

Some students in the college application process feel that admissions officers reviewing social media is a violation of privacy or is an unnecessary practice, but we, the four Editors-in-Chief, disagree.

By accepting a student, a college is making an investment in that individual. Given this fact, it is completely reasonable for an admissions officer to check

and ignore the hardships that may have to be endured in order to accomplish the task.

One should expect that there will be a few missteps or hiccups before a goal can be achieved, and should not give up because one thing does not go their way. Having a New Year’s resolution is not a necessity in any way, as it can create unrealistic expectations for individuals who are unaware of their capabilities and result in a feeling of failure and negativity towards oneself. The idea is not necessarily harmful, but it’s not especially helpful either.

students’ social media sites to see how they portray themselves online.

A 2016 telephone survey by Kaplan Test Prep revealed that 35 percent of college admissions officers from 365 schools check students’ social media sites. This survey also found that the social media insight resulted in a positive impact on the view of applicants for 47 percent of officers and a negative impact for 42 percent of officers— a statistic we were very surprised by. If a student provides information about one of their areas of involvement not disclosed in their application, this may be a sign for an admissions office that the student will be a better fit for the school than they originally realized.

Despite this promising information, 42 percent of officers still reported that their views of applicants were negatively impacted by social media.

This may seem problematic or disappointing, but in actuality, this is a positive. College admissions officers have difficult jobs. Deciding between applicants can come down to very specific information, and in certain situations can result in unfair outcomes. With access to the social media sphere, officers may gain personal information that can serve as a deciding factor between two similar applicants.

If a student chooses to display illegal activity

PH O

TO C

O UR

TESY

NS OF WIKIMEDIA COMMO

or vulgar language on their social media page, this may be a sign for an admissions office that the student will not be a good fit for the school.

It is up to each individual person how they portray themselves in the public online world, and as college applicants, students must understand that the information they share may have positive or negative consequences in their admissions process.

Not only does being mindful of social media presence help college applicants during the process, but it also prepares them for the future. According to a 2018 CareerBuilder survey, 70 percent of employers screen candidates’ social media prior to hiring them. High school students can benefit from considering their digital footprint as a component of their college application, before it is essentially a part of their job application as well.

The student body at any given university is a reflection of the university itself. While the large majority of admissions officers do not review applicants’ social media sites, they are completely justified in doing so, given how telling these platforms can be.

INSTAGRAM PHOTO COURTESY OF CAMPBELL FERRICK

Lifestyle

16

Hawk Talk

Fake news: trending vitamins Healthy and hydrated, In the era of superfoods and social media fads, ‘trendy vitamins’ reign supreme. the task of achieveing proper water intake

By LULU DAWES Editor-in-Chief

In a video to her five million subscribers, YouTuber and beauty influencer Tati Westbrook announced the release of her beauty vitamins named Halo Beauty.

The supplements claimed to increase hair growth, strengthen nails and improve skin texture, all in one bidaily pill. Containing 60 capsules at $40 per container, Westbrook’s vitamin sold over 25,000 products on the first day.

Despite beauty supplements being around for decades, they have recently transformed into a new craze—a trend celebrities, like Westbrook, are able to capitalize on. Due to this, the $3.5 billion supplement industry is projected to double in the next following years.

And for social media users, the industry’s boom should be no surprise, as hundreds of celebrities and beauty influencers promote and encourage the use of beauty supplements through their large platforms. Most notably the Kardashian-Jenner family, who advertise varying beauty supplements to their hundreds of millions of followers. “#ad I’m obsessed with @sugarbearhair vitamins! I put a lot of stress on my hair and these bears make my natural hair look and feel amazing!” Kylie Jenner

BETTER HAIR

VITA-WOMANS

wrote on an Instagram post to her 121 million followers.

Even though they are marketed as beauty holy grails, beauty supplements don’t always do what they are suppose to—and they’re not legally required to.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not authorized to review vitamins before they’re sold, meaning it’s the responsibility of the manufacturer to make sure their product is safe.

Furthermore, there has been no scientific proof that beauty supplements or vitamins have any effect on the body, making them potentially useless or dangerous to consumers. This has led to multiple brands receiving backlash on their ingredients and possible risks. Even Westbrook’s Halo Beauty received criticism for including Biotism, which interferes with birth control.

Beauty can’t be reached through a pill, and unfortunately, even if it could be, the FDA still couldn’t review its ingredients. The best—and scientifically proven—method to improve one’s physical features is through a healthy diet. And if beauty supplements are the preferred method, at least talk to a doctor before taking a capsule once a day.

The Vitamins of Delusion

*used excusivley by instagram celebs*

FULL LIP ENHANCMENT SUPPLEMENTS

*will not actually result in clear skin

By ETHAN deBORJA Staff Reporter

Hydration. Many people know what this word means but never actually reach it. Despite drinking water being the most popular method, there are many other ways students can achieve a healthy level of hydration. But the most important thing to do is drink water. It has so many

My Water Balance

Drink Water Reminder N Tracker

health benefits, including added immunity against illnesses, the reduction of headaches and is a necessity for energy production. This comes into play especially during the winter season. With temperatures dropping, the skin and lips are more prone to dryness.

Water tracking apps you can use to track your hydration rates

Water Reminder - Daily Tracker

Daily Water Tracker

rated #1 by our paid promoters DETOX Fit-Flat Empty

CLEAR SKIN weekly supplements

With chapped hands and lips ahead of us in the coming winter months, hydration remains key to maintaining health.

Daily dosage Skinnyfit *vitamins *not FDA approved

PureSilk natural lash growth pills

*made will unnatural ingredients

Drink three whole water bottles at 16 oz to be fully hydrated all day long

Lifestyle

1.30.19

Finally legal

Fitting in has never been easier

By ALAINA CEYNOWA Community Editor

By JASMINE BRALEY Art Director

Interviewed 18 year-old seniors (’19) tell of their first legal purchases.

3.6% of 18 year-olds got pepper spray

7.3% nicotine products

12.7% bought a lottery ticket when they turned 18

%

9.1 a ht

ug bo er ht

lig

25.5% of 18 year-old students got a tattoo

None of these 23.6%

18.2% Piercings

*According to a survey of 55 Madison students

Ella Busch - “When I turned 18, the first thing I bought was a Mega Millions ticket.”

Abbie Bollinger - “I got my belly button pierced in Australia!”

Kate Padgett - “I went to Claire’s and got my third’s [earlobes] pierced.”

Gage Pappas - “I got some Juul pods when I turned 18.”

Heather Colbert - “I went to Petco and bought a goldfish.”

Dina Bouhaouala - “Lina and I got lip tattoos on our 18th birthday as a way to celebrate being legal and to do something fun.”

Lina Bouhaouala - “Doing the lip tattoo was a very ‘just turned 18’ thing to do. It wasn’t exactly something serious, just something to do for the heck of it and a fun experience.”

P

Fashion has come to a point where deciphering gender is not a necessity. Gender Neutral clothing has come to mainstream markets: boys can wear skirts and girls can wear suits, the labeling of who can wear what is no longer relevant in today’s progressive society.

eople express their personalities through the clothing they wear, but almost every article of clothing is designated as male or female. While fashion companies today attempt to integrate gender neutral clothing into their fashion lines as cultural expectations shift, much of society’s older generations still prefer to categorize people neatly into various stereotypes defined by specific features.

Complying to today’s expectations, someone wearing a dress would be identified as a woman because of their wardrobe choice. Even as the fashion industry creates more gender neutral clothing lines, they oftentimes reflect conventional men’s clothing, with blocky shapes, muted colors and a distinct lack of floral patterns.

However, why can’t feminine clothing equally influence gender neutral clothing? While the expectations for who wears what are becoming more lenient with time, the majority of clothing stores still sort their inventories into women’s and men’s sections, as if it’s the only way to classify clothing.

Forget the industry’s production of gen-

der neutral clothing; society—teens included—has a predisposition that gender neutral clothing only employs drab colors and shapeless designs– trademark elements of men’s clothing. Currently, men’s clothing is the go-to umbrella style for people of all genders to choose from, while women’s clothing is reserved only for women. Whether they’re conscious of it or not, much of the older generations are imposing on teens and children that men wearing dresses is demeaning, as society emphasizes femininity as weak. Boys who wear dresses usually do so for losing a dare—out of obligation and mockery more than anything else—while women who wear suits are seen as powerful.

Jaimie Wylie, a blogger who identifies as gender neutral even mentioned that they prefer shopping in the men’s section, as it offers a wider variety of comfortable, androgynous clothing compared to the women’s section, while women’s clothes have more distinct colors and fitted shapes.

Instead of resorting to their traditional way of sorting inventory, the fashion industry could begin sorting their

clothes based on body type rather than style, pattern or the amount of ruffles in a garment.

Accommodating for people’s body type could solve this gender neutral clothing issue quickly if companies acknowledged this suggestion, although only a few companies do this today, which is not nearly enough. While clothing companies are creating gender neutral fashion lines, there still exists that underlying expectation that gender neutral clothes can only be glorified men’s clothing. Society has already stereotyped gender neutral as ‘bold’ and ‘strong’ with these recent clothing lines, defining typical masculine traits instead of incorporating clothing designs from both male and female clothing lines.

On the other hand, it’ll become ever so more difficult to alter this clothing bias as equality between men and women increases, financially or otherwise. Research according to David P. Schmitt exhibits that men and women develop more distinct personalities when on equal ground than when they face significant inequality in their roles. However, personalities should not be labelled by society’s opinion of their gender

roles. Parents rarely instruct their children to wear formal clothes that don’t comply with their gender at birth. If a girl wears a suit instead of a dress to a formal event, her parents might be befuddled, unaccepting or might think her a lesbian.

This seems to be a common misconception, but people don’t have to be part of the LGBTQ community to wear clothes not expected of them by gender norms—stereotypes no longer should be the sole deciding factor in people’s wardrobes.

Although society wills it so, nobody has to identify as gender neutral now to wear clothing that doesn’t comply with their gender’s stereotypes.

However, society has created a definitive line to divide men’s and women’s clothing, a division that remains prominent in even today’s progressive society. Society still refuses to accept men wearing dresses with floral patterns as much as it does men wearing suits.

As the LGBTQ community becomes more prominent and TV shows feature empowered women, certainly society will be able to accept that clothing shouldn’t be confined to gender.

Some of the main reasons why people should not be judged for wearing the clothes they want to wear and feel more comfortable wearing; what should happen in the clothing industry, with more accommodation for body types:

Lianna Williams - “I registered to vote two days after my 18th birthday, it was pretty exciting!”

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Steven Mills - “I bought a Supreme lighter when I turned 18, ‘cus I’m like that.”

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McKenna Nolan - “When I turned 18 I got another ear piercing.”

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Lines of clothing today attempt to feature gender neutral clothing, but end up giving the clothes the look of menswear, thus creating the assumption that menswear is universal, while feminine clothing is only directed at stereotypical females (at least, that’s the clothing industry’s implication).

Gender neutral means one isn’t a girl or a boy, so why must the fashion industry attempt to force those who identify as gn into one section or the other?

Only a few stores today offer clothing that allows customers to choose from categories based on bodytype (instead of mens, womens, girls, boys etc sections)

Entertainment

18

CULT ‘Edward Scissorhands’

By CAMPBELL FERRICK Lifestyle Editor

Director Tim Burton has gained a cult following for many of his films, with “Edward Scissorhands” leading the pack. Highly-rated, with a high-ranked cast, Scissorhands has made a name for itself among movie fans since its 1990 release. A twisted fairytale, “Scissorhands” features a pastel suburban town, where everyone knows everyone’s business and a mad inventor (compared to Dr Frankenstein) builds an ambitious creation: Edward Scissorhands, a man with scissor blades for hands. The film showcases how quickly societal opinions can change when faced with the unknown, but in the most fanciful way. Thanks to Burton’s unique, contorted imagination, “Scissorhands” remains one of his best rated films, and manages to hold its standing as Burton’s best “cult classic.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEVIANT ART

Classic Movies Breaking traditional taboos and taking artistic risks, cult classic films have acquired a dedicated fanbase and the unique culture that comes with it.

Here’s a look at the next three cult classics you need to watch.

‘Empire records’

By CAMPBELL FERRICK Lifestyle Editor

“Empire Records” focuses on a group of teenage music lovers who all work at a record store. The movie gained the title of a cult classic due to its select audience of teenage alternative movie viewers. Not the typical “coming of age” film, “Empire Records” stands out from the crowd with its collection of storylines and a soundtrack with a wide range of music genres, from punk to pop. The film features a nod to stoner culture, employees shaving their head in the staff bathroom, a washed up popstar, a pill-popping Harvard-bound girl-next-door, the confusing attempts at teenage love, a shoplifter and so much more. Known as an “underground cult classic,” the film is not known by many, but is loved by all who have had the chance to watch it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

Hawk Talk

‘The Shining’

By BRIDGET LEVESQUE Staff Reporter

“The Shining” was released on May 23, 1980.

Stanley Kubrick wrote and directed the film, though it was based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name (King was definitely not a fan of the film adaptation).

“The Shining” is a classic in every sense of the word.

Jack Torrance, a man with a serious case of writer’s block, his wife Wendy and son, Danny (who has a telekinetic power, called “the shining”) become the winter caretakers of a hotel called “The Overlook.” Most people have at least seen or heard a reference to the iconic scenes in this film, such as the word “REDRUM” being scrawled across a door in lipstick or the two twin girls standing at the end of a corridor. However, the most famous scene from the film is Torrance breaking down a bathroom door with an axe, screaming “Here’s Johnny!” “The Shining” is currently available for viewing on Netflix.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMON WALKER

1.30.19

Entertainment

First openly gay Winter Olympians compete

Donald Glover releases “This Is America”

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By KATIE BARTLETT

By KATIE BARTLETT

Entertainment Editor

Entertainment Editor

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CO UR TE SY

PH OT O

E UB UT YO OF

Year in Review

Racial representation diversifies Hollywood PH OT

By BRIDGET LEVESQUE Staff Reporter

“Black Panther” hit theaters on Feb. 16, 2018, and since the movie’s release, it has been a hot topic throughout the media and in day-to-day conversations.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the character T’Challa—whose second identity is superhero Blank Panther— as well as the

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEEN VOGUE PHOTO COURTESY OF CNBC

SY TE UR

Released on May 5, working hard to make this Not long ago, athletes at lives.

2018, Donald Glover’s musong and video an effective the Olympics waited until reThe popularity of Ripsic video “This Is America” message. tirement to come out as gay, pon and Kenworthy highhas raked in over 450 million When watching the mufor fear of being publicly stig- lights how far the world has views and is a powerful ansic video, notice how Glover’s matized and losing endorse- come since earlier times, and them against gun and racial erratic moves are a distracments. But 2018 has changed the acceptance that was never violence in the United States. tion from the violence occurthis pattern. At the beginning shown before. Organizations The visceral ‘This is America’ ring behind him as he dances. of the year, Adam Rippon fighting for LGBTQ rights, video is brimming with subThis is no doubt on purpose, and Gus Kenworthy became such as the Human Rights tle, and also not-so-subtle as it underlines the idea of the first two openly gay male Campaign and The Trevor messages. Glover, who goes how we, as Americans, disOlympians to compete in the Project, are accomplishing so by the stage name Childish tract ourselves from the existWinter Olympics. Dubbed much partly due to brave figGambino, produced this creing violence that we choose to “America’s sweetheart,” fig- ures in the media who stand ation alongside Ludwig ignore. Furthermore, Glover’s ure skater Rippon and sil- up for who they are Göransson, character seems to represent ver-medalist skier Kenworthy and what they both how white culture oppresses took this years Olympics by b e l i e v e black people. The scene in storm, breaking stereotypes in. which a group of kids dancM O simply by embracing their E.C PH LIN es around Glover as chaos N O sexuality. Rippon and KenTO SO ES ensues behind him can C C O worthy had known of each AC be interpreted in many other before the games and ways, either showhad connected on social ing how America media, but it wasn’t unmoves on from til they met in real life violence too that they could really quickly, or accomplish somemakes a statething great. ment on how PHOTO COURTESY OF INDIEWIRE.COM O u t s i d e kids in black of the Olympic communiGames, Kenworties learn thy and Rippon to live with have become t r a u m a role models and that no inspirations for one should the LGBTQ com2018, the year of breakthroughs have to go munity; they atthrough. and setbacks has come to an tended the 29th All in annual GLAAD end, but not without showing all, Glover media awards earhas managed how the world is changing. lier this year, a cereto construct PHOTO COURTESY OF OUTSPORTS.COM mony that recogniza painful yet es and honors media perfectly timed that has fairly and acmasterpiece that curately represented the openly displays LGBTQ community and a truth that no one the issues that affect their wants to confront.

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Wakandan lore. Before being made into a motion picture, T’Challa first appeared in “Fantastic Four #52” from the year 1966.

The stunning visual effects, the captivating plot and several other factors led this film to earn a nomination for the Golden Globe Award Best Motion Picture in the drama category. The movie’s soundtrack has also received a nomination for two additional Golden Globe Awards, as well as eight Grammy Awards.

While this is all very impressive, what has actually left a lasting cultur-

PHOTO COURTESY OF HELLO MAGAZINE

PHOTO COURTESY OF THENATION.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF THEHILL.COM PHOTO COURTESY OF UPROXX.COM

M CO M. OO GR N LO

al impact in both America and around the globe is the cultural representation. Racial representation in Hollywood is extremely important, and this movie (along with many others that were released this year) adds to this representation revolution. The film had an African-American director, Ryan Coogler, and a predominantly black cast. Its cultural and political themes attack the notions of white privilege rooted in Hollywood, the country and the majority of the world. “Black Panther” will forever be iconic, both because of the true beauty of the movie’s visual effects and music, as well as the legacy it has left in the movie industry. It has “set the stage” for cultural representation in Hollywood forever.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WMAGAZINE.COM

Community

Hawk Talk

VIENNA WOLFF

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